Lyones
I find this one of the most facinating cards in the Legends deck. Cernunnos - Lord of the Forest - is half beast, half human, symbolising the creature in us all, the acceptance that we have physical needs, but also that we can become obsessive about them. He is one with nature, is nature, and nature is drawn to him.
The survival instinct is also strong - he holds a gold torc in one hand and a curly dragon-like serpent in the other as if weighing physical wealth and reality with tempting seduction, but at the same time clinging to them both. They are symbols of lordship and wisdom. As the protector of the animals and the forest, the animals seek him out, they watch him inquisitively and yet understand that he is their benefactor. They are free to come and go and yet they seem mesmerised, held captive by the presence of Cernunnos.
The moon shines through the clouds or mist, casting a green hue on the scene, a sense of illusion, foreboding and mystery. His eyes are wild, perhaps illustrating the fierceness and aggression with which the animal instinct possesses the human spirit. His behavior is not conventional, because he is not conventional. We are told in the Keeper of Words that the Chief or Shaman would become entranced and transformed to be possessed by the totem animal god to preserve the wild life, and that here Merlin plays that role.
The Keeper of Words says this of the animals: "The animals represent different aspects of primal wisdom. The fox symbolizes intuition and cunning. He is a lighting spirit and the Trickster. The otter represents the transformational, playful nature. The serpent is knowledge and understanding. The boar stands for force, resistance and overcoming fear. The stag shows proliferation and humanity's relationship with nature. Lastly the frog represents impulse, fertility and creativity."
I love the fact that Cernunnos indicates ecological balance and the need to preserve our natural surroundings. I also like the sense of power channelling with this card, because although it can mean being under someone or something's influence, the challenge of liberation and freedom from the frustration or being bound is exciting, and once dealt with, bring a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He is the symbol of vitality, fertilerty and mating, he can bring chaos or success, depending on his favour.
I do not think it is an easy card to come to terms with, as the intoxication, together with the supernatural enchantment can be overwhelming, but when faced with this mirror immage of the self in a reading, I find it easier to acknowledge the dark side of my nature and bring it into balance within and without. To make the god-ship personal, as with the sacred rituals of transformation, symbolic, if not realistic steps need to be taken for the absorption of Cernunnos' wisdom to direct one's life with authority and self-empowerment.
The survival instinct is also strong - he holds a gold torc in one hand and a curly dragon-like serpent in the other as if weighing physical wealth and reality with tempting seduction, but at the same time clinging to them both. They are symbols of lordship and wisdom. As the protector of the animals and the forest, the animals seek him out, they watch him inquisitively and yet understand that he is their benefactor. They are free to come and go and yet they seem mesmerised, held captive by the presence of Cernunnos.
The moon shines through the clouds or mist, casting a green hue on the scene, a sense of illusion, foreboding and mystery. His eyes are wild, perhaps illustrating the fierceness and aggression with which the animal instinct possesses the human spirit. His behavior is not conventional, because he is not conventional. We are told in the Keeper of Words that the Chief or Shaman would become entranced and transformed to be possessed by the totem animal god to preserve the wild life, and that here Merlin plays that role.
The Keeper of Words says this of the animals: "The animals represent different aspects of primal wisdom. The fox symbolizes intuition and cunning. He is a lighting spirit and the Trickster. The otter represents the transformational, playful nature. The serpent is knowledge and understanding. The boar stands for force, resistance and overcoming fear. The stag shows proliferation and humanity's relationship with nature. Lastly the frog represents impulse, fertility and creativity."
I love the fact that Cernunnos indicates ecological balance and the need to preserve our natural surroundings. I also like the sense of power channelling with this card, because although it can mean being under someone or something's influence, the challenge of liberation and freedom from the frustration or being bound is exciting, and once dealt with, bring a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He is the symbol of vitality, fertilerty and mating, he can bring chaos or success, depending on his favour.
I do not think it is an easy card to come to terms with, as the intoxication, together with the supernatural enchantment can be overwhelming, but when faced with this mirror immage of the self in a reading, I find it easier to acknowledge the dark side of my nature and bring it into balance within and without. To make the god-ship personal, as with the sacred rituals of transformation, symbolic, if not realistic steps need to be taken for the absorption of Cernunnos' wisdom to direct one's life with authority and self-empowerment.